The Felluca - Once upon the Nile...

A Felluca is a traditional sailboat of the Nile River. We didn’t know what to expect when we booked our tour, but as soon as we got on, we knew what we were in for. With six bottles of drinking water, two rolls of toilet paper and 12 beers, we set out with our Spanish friends, and two women from Korea. The crew included the captain, an older man named Nasser, and a young boy of maybe 16, named Ahmed. Ahmed seemed to do al the work, including tending the sail, cooking, while Nasser relaxed and steered. It didn’t seem quite fair, but Ahemd was a great cook, so that was good.

The Felluca consisted of a small room up front for the crew, a cooking area, and a baggage store. We sat, lounged, and slept on the deck, which was covered by a canvas roof. The sailboat had a single mast and a canvas sail. The boat ride really was fun, as well a majestic. Sailing on the Nile all day long was quite an experience that we will never forget. It was a very interesting trip, and the Nile was very beautiful, although it is not an experience we would like to repeat. There were no showers, and the bathroom was “nature.”

Sailing was pretty awesome. I think the best way to describe it is “majestic.” We would sail a bit, then stop and relax, and then sail some more. We sailed at night a lot, because it was cooler, and we would stop in the shade during the heat of the day. The only problem is that the cruise ships also run at night. So we had to do a bit of “dodging” which got pretty exciting! We only got close a few times though!

One crazy thing did happen during out Felluca ride. Just after dinner was served one night, the boy, Ahmed, fell from up on top the mast where he was tending the sail. It was at least a 15 foot fall. He fell into the cooking area, and knocked over the crew’s dinner. We were all worried that he was badly hurt, and he jumped up, holding his leg and head. He had really bruised his leg badly, and his head had a 4 inch cut in it from his hairline back. So here we were, in Africa, the one place you don’t want to get anyone’s blood on you, and we were on a tiny sailboat miles from anywhere and our cook had a head-wound. Laura and I busted out our first aid kit, and she strapped on our latex gloves and got to work, cleaning the wound and staunching the blood. Then she applied some antiseptic cream. We gave him an ibuprofen for the pain and swelling, which seemed to work. Everyone called Laura, “Dr. Laura” for the rest of the trip. We were just glad that he didn’t get hurt worse.

The next day in the morning, we were dropped off the Felluca and headed to some more temples and excitement. But that’s another Blog!!

Enjoy the pictures!



Laura getting on the Felluca with Sylvia and Narcis.

Eric and Laura, on the Felluca, in port before we started out.

Eric at the tiller!

A boy riding a donkey on the riverbank.

The crew of the Felluca - Nasser and Ahmed

This is the other felluca traveling with us. It is safer in pairs. But it is exactly what our boat looked like.

Eric with a beer.

Laura and Sylvia, napping in the afternoon.

Some Nile riverbank, with the desert behind it.

The Nile Riverbank. Love it!

Eric and Laura on the Felluca.

The whole crew. Eric, Laura, Narcis, Sylvia, and Luis (from Mexico).

A beautiful sunset.

Eric and Ahmed, before disembarking.

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